1. Technical Field
The subject disclosure relates to minimally invasive surgical procedures and apparatus, and more particularly to apparatus for holding surgical instrumentation during surgery associated with the thoracic cavity.
2. Background of Related Art
It is well established that the performance of various types of surgical procedures using less invasive techniques and instrumentation has provided numerous physical benefits to the patient while reducing the overall cost of such procedures. One area, for example, which has experienced a great increase in the performance of less invasive procedures is in the area of heart surgery. In particular, coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) procedures have been performed using less invasive techniques with much success.
Access to the patient""s thoracic cavity for such procedures in the past was typically achieved by a large longitudinal incision in the chest. This procedure, referred to as a median sternotomy, requires a saw or other cutting instrument to cut the sternum and allow two opposing halves of the rib cages to be spread apart. U.S. Pat. No. 5,025,779 to Bugge discloses a retractor which is designed to grip opposite sternum halves and spread the thoracic cavity apart. The large opening which is created by this technique enables the surgeon to directly visualize the surgical site and perform procedures on the affected organs. However, such procedures that involve large incisions and substantial displacement of the rib cage are often traumatic to the patient with significant attendant risks. The recovery period may be extended and is often painful. Furthermore, patients for whom coronary surgery is indicated may need to forego such surgery due to the risks involved with gaining access to the heart.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,617 to Jako discloses a retractor configured to be held by the surgeon for use in vascular or cardiac surgery to retract and hold ribs apart to allow access to the heart or a lung through an operating window. The retractor includes a rigid frame and a translation frame slidably connected to the rigid frame. Lower and upper blades are rotatably mounted to the rigid frame and the translation frame respectively. Such a xe2x80x9cwindowxe2x80x9d approach requires instrumentation that can be inserted into and manipulated within the limited space available in and around the surgical site.
Therefore, a continuing need exists for more versatile and varied surgical instrumentation which facilitates performing surgical procedures in limited access cavities of a patient during less invasive surgical procedures. A need also exists for instrument holding apparatus to retain surgical instruments in place during surgical procedures and free the surgeons hands.
The present disclosure addresses the above-noted needs while providing various embodiments of an apparatus for holding surgical instruments that have many unique features and advantages over the prior instrumentation. The presently disclosed apparatus for holding surgical instruments provides greater versatility during surgical procedures which are less invasive than traditional procedures.
For example, in one embodiment, the present disclosure provides an apparatus for holding a surgical instrument relative to a base, which includes a mounting portion configured and dimensioned to engage a portion of a base, a jaw assembly including first and second jaw members which define a retaining area therebetween configured and dimensioned to retain the shaft of a surgical instrument therein and thereby fix the length of the instrument shaft relative to the base and an operative site, and an instrument position adjustment mechanism which includes an adjustment member rotatably disposed in relative to the mounting portion to facilitate selective position adjustment of the jaw assembly with respect to the mounting portion.
The instrument position adjustment mechanism may include a lock member such that when positioned in a locked position, the adjustment member is prevented from moving relative to the mounting portion and when the lock member is positioned in an unlocked position, the adjustment member is permitted to move relative to the mounting portion. The jaw assembly preferably includes a jaw approximation control member which controls movement of one of the first and second jaw members relative to the other of the first and second jaw members.